Former Minister Ordered to Pay Damages for Defamatory Email

The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court ruled that former minister Shalom Simhon, serving as chairman of the board of directors for "Doro Italian Products" (manufacturer of "Pasta Rico"), must pay 20,000 shekels in damages to the company's founders, Shay Alon and Gil Ben Dov, along with 10,000 shekels in legal fees. Judge Nurit Tabib Mizrahi determined that Simhon defamed both individuals in an email sent to the board of directors.

The dispute intensified in January 2024, after the company's CFO resigned less than a month into his tenure. In response, Simhon sent a harsh email accusing the founders of driving away experienced professionals and "intimidating" the company's accountant.

As reported by "TheMarker", this confrontation occurred against the backdrop of a turbulent shareholder struggle between Tnuva, which acquired a 51% stake in Pasta Rico in 2019, and the founders. The conflict escalated to legal proceedings after the founders sought to exercise an option to sell their remaining 49% stake, accusing Tnuva of deliberately delaying the company's valuation. Simhon was appointed chairman on behalf of Tnuva in 2023 to manage the tense environment.

In court testimony, the former CFO clarified that his resignation was not caused by threats from Alon or Ben Dov, but by an organizational climate saturated with intrigue and power struggles. Judge Tabib Mizrahi concluded that Simhon's accusations exceeded permissible limits, though she noted that the remarks were at the lower end of the severity scale for defamation given the context of the acute conflict.